The Dirt: Large West Plains commerce park plans progress
Spokane developer Harlan Douglass is moving forward with plans for a large commerce park adjacent to the Amazon fulfillment center on the West Plains.
Earlier this month, the Washington state Department of Ecology received an environmental review for the first phase of the project, which includes construction of two warehouse buildings spanning a total of 176,000 square feet on 12 acres of vacant land at 5010 S. Thomas Mallen Road.
Douglass Commerce Park, at full build-out, will consist of 19commercial warehouse, manufacturing, distribution and office buildings totaling 1.4 million square feet, according to the environmental review.
Construction of the project’s first phase is slated to begin in midsummer and be completed by next year.
Douglass intends to build two to three buildings per year until the project is complete.
Spokane-based Architectural Ventures is designing the project.
Glow Children Early Learning Center will be the newest tenant in the building on the northeast corner of Post Street and Riverside Avenue in downtown Spokane.
The center has filed an application with the city to renovate two floors spanning 10,311 square feet for a child care center at 722W. Riverside Ave.
The project valuation is $500,000, according to the application.
Mead-based Timber CC is the project contractor.
Spokane-based Trek Architecture is designing the project.
The early learning center is part of Lumen High School, which will become the city’s third charter school upon opening in the fall.
Lumen High School will assist young parents with obtaining an education by offering child care services and classes under one roof.
As part of Lumen’s curriculum, teen parents and their children will engage with the early learning center and attend classes focused on attachment-based relationship development.
The early learning center will also offer a small, private-pay preschool program, according to its Facebook page.
The property owner is GVD Commercial Properties Inc., which purchased the building for $2 million in January, according to the Spokane County Assessor’s Office.
Earlier this month, Vik Singh filed an application with the city to renovate a 2,800 square foot space adjacent to the proposed child care center into a convenience store.
Former Loulou’s Sport Shop to be transformed
The former site of Loulou’s Sport Shop south of the University District could be transformed into a mixed-use development.
Sherman Properties LLC has filed a preliminary application with the city to transform two existing buildings at 418 and 428 E. Pacific Ave. into a restaurant, gym and residential housing.
Sherman Properties LLC, whose principal is Omri Azoulai, purchased the buildings for $400,000 in December, according to the Spokane County Assessor’s Office.
Spokane-based Uptic Studios is designing the project.
Construction on the two buildings – spanning a total of 12,742square feet – is anticipated to begin in the summer, according to site plans filed with the city.
The site was previously home to Loulou’s Sport Shop, founded in 1973 by Loulou Kneubuhler.
It was a popular store for decades among skiers for boot fitting, ski tuning and gear.
The store closed in 2005 because of competition from big-box stores, according to a Spokesman-Review article.
The building later housed Loulou’s Ski Museum and Tennis of Spokane.